Information for record number MWA4712:
Roman Roadside ditches to Ryknild Street, Alcester

Summary The ditches which would have run on either side of Ryknild Roman Road are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs.
What Is It?  
Type: Ditch, Road
Period: Romano-British (43 AD - 409 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Alcester
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 08 58
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

 
Source Number  

2 The side ditches of Ryknild Street and other linear boundaries show as crop marks.
3 A further stretch of roadside ditch was found in an evaluation trench at 7 Roman Way, Alcester in conjunction with a large assemblage of 2nd and 3rd century pottery.
 
Sources

Source No: 1
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: SP1356
Author/originator: JP
Date: 1965
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: SP1356: A, C, E;SP14
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Archaeological Evaluation at 7 Roman Way, Alcester, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Caroline Rann and Kevin Wright
Date: 2010
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1010
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Verbal communication
Author/originator: Palmer S C
Date: 2001
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
technique Cropmark Cropmarks appear as light and dark marks in growing and ripening crops. These marks relate to differences in the soil below. For example, parched lines of grass may indicate stone walls. Crops that grow over stone features often ripen more quickly and are shorter than the surrounding crop. This is because there is less moisture in the soil where the wall lies.

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technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record